How has Taylor Swift been able to stay in the spotlight for so long?

Taylor Swift is arguably the biggest pop star in the world right now. From her highest-grossing Eras tour, to her record-breaking award wins and album sales, she’s built a legacy that has been compared to the likes of The Beatles. Whether or not you’re a fan, her widespread cultural influence is undeniable. The Taylor Swift phenomenon has been studied by journalists, cultural commentators, industry experts and academics, myself included. I’m a PhD candidate researching fandom, and there’s no better case study than Taylor Swift.

Since the beginning of her career, Taylor Swift has always prioritised fan engagement. From her early days on MySpace to her active Tumblr era, she’s brought her fans along on the journey with her as she navigates her life and career. Social media afforded new types of access to celebrities, and Taylor Swift fostered these relationships by sharing behind the scenes content and engaging directly with fans.

With the help of Taylor Nation, a branch of her management team, Swift would also reward fans with gifts or meet and greet opportunities. For the launch of 1989, reputation and Lover, she hosted “Secret Sessions” where fans were invited to hang out with her and listen to the albums ahead of their release. The possibility of such interactions gives Swifties extra motivation to participate in the fandom, as described by one fan I interviewed: “I think we’re definitely pushed to be creative because she does choose [to reward fans], and we try to be different from the crowd and whatever so that we do get noticed”. 

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Swift is known for leaving “Easter Eggs”, and encourages fans to uncover the clues in all aspects of her work. Fans participate in so many different ways, and Taylor Swift has a whole world they can interact with. At times, her music has been reduced to vengeful breakup songs about ex-boyfriends, but Swift’s songwriting has always been a key part of her success.

She’s honed her craft across different genres, from her start in country, to pop, and indie folk. The surprise release of folklore, an album she recorded during the early stages of the pandemic, won over some more skeptical audiences. Swifties never needed any convincing though, these songs have been a resource for which they can construct meaning out of their everyday lives.

The rise of social media and streaming has significantly shaped the music industry. As the value of traditional music marketing declines, artists increasingly rely on fans and their labour to drive and maintain their success. Fans are creating content about their favourite artists, organising streaming and voting campaigns, and amplifying their stardom across multiple channels. Taylor Nation encourages this participation by reposting fan content and spearheading different initiatives for Swifties to get involved in. This collective power has also been harnessed for social good. When Swift voiced her support for the U.S. Equality Act, or encouraged Americans to vote, hundreds of thousands of fans rallied with her.

Swift also understands how social media has shaped live performances. In her recent New Heights podcast appearance, she explained her mindset going into the Eras Tour: “When you’re putting on a first show of a tour like that, you’re not just performing for the entire stadium, you’re performing for the entire Internet”.

She creates moments that connect with both the crowd and those watching at home, from album announcements to playing different acoustic songs at each show. During the Eras tour’s two year run, fans would watch livestreams of the concerts on TikTok, chatting together in the comment section.

While Swift herself isn’t particularly active on social media anymore, she doesn’t need to be. Her presence on social media extends beyond content that is directly about her. Her songs are used to soundtrack fan-edits and TikTok trends, interwoven into the fabric of mainstream digital culture. Aligning with Taylor Swift has become a way to leverage audiences and attention.

When The Life of A Showgirl was announced, brands quickly created posts that leaned into the album’s sparkly orange aesthetic. It’s also representative of a broader commodification of girlhood and fangirl culture. Society at large has begun to recognise the power of these predominantly female audiences, who have historically been shamed for their interests and music taste. 

Despite her billionaire status, Taylor Swift has maintained a level of relatability through her vulnerable songwriting and ongoing relationship with her fans. Whether it’s fighting to get her Masters back, or getting engaged, you can’t help but root for Taylor Swift. She facilitates a sense of intimacy at scale – with her, but also amongst fans and strangers. In an era where monocultural artists and moments are few and far between, Taylor Swift has a unique ability to bring people together.

Kate Pattison is a fan studies PhD candidate at RMIT University in Melbourne.

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